The 2017 Formosa Trail cross-country run kicked off on Saturday at Liyutan in Nantou County’s Puli Township. More than 600 competitors from 35 different countries took part in the 104km cross-country run through mountain forests which is the longest event of its kind in Taiwan.
Foreign athletes came from countries as far as northern Europe, Germany, Hungary and the US to take part, combining the competition with a holiday in Taiwan.
Petr Novotny, who hails from the Czech Republic and originally came to Taiwan to study for a PhD at National Taiwan University, is also a professional marathon and cross-country mountain athlete and organized the competition with his wife, Eva Lobo, who is a member of the Sediq Aboriginal tribe. After a year of work surveying a section of the Formosa Trail which runs through Puli Township and the Jenai area, last year the competition was held for first time and received the seal of approval from international athletes.
Photo courtesy of Taiwan Beast Runners
照片:跑山獸公司提供
Eva Lobo says that although Taiwan’s mountain forests are extremely beautiful, she is concerned that two things may put a dampener on the event: garbage and animal traps, which she fears foreign competitors would find troubling. Eva Lobo has called on her fellow countrymen to care for the mountain forests and refrain from despoiling nature.
(Liberty Times, translated by Edward Jones)
二○一七福爾摩沙古道國際越野賽,昨於南投縣埔里鎮鯉魚潭登場,吸引了世界各地卅五國、六百多位喜愛山林越野的運動選手參加,其一○四公里的賽事,號稱全台最長越野距離。
選手有的遠從北歐、德國、匈牙利、美國來台參賽兼度假。
來自捷克的彼得.諾瓦尼,原本來台攻讀台大博士班,也是專業的馬拉松及山林越野選手,與賽德克族妻子羅勃.依婉,花了一年時間踏勘埔里、仁愛地區的古道,去年首辦即獲得國際選手的肯定。
羅勃.依婉指出,台灣山林真的很美,但最怕兩件東西煞風景,就是垃圾及捕獸鋏,這也是令國外選手感到困擾的問題。他們特別呼籲台灣人親近山林,也要愛護山林,別讓淨土蒙塵。
(自由時報記者佟振國)
A: Bruno Mars is definitely one of today’s most popular singers. B: He has even won 14 Grammy Awards. A: I love all his megahits, like “Just the Way You Are.” B: And his new song with Lady Gaga “Die with a Smile” has a caused worldwide sensation. A: I wonder if we’ll hear the new song at his Kaohsiung concert? A: 火星人布魯諾是近年來最受歡迎的流行歌手。 B: 對啊他還曾榮獲14座葛萊美獎。 A: 他所有的金曲我都愛,像《Just the Way You Are》。 B: 最近他和女神卡卡合唱《Die with a Smile》更造成大轟動! A: 不知道在高雄有沒有機會聽他演唱這首新歌呢? (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
A few new policies take effect this month, with the following most likely to affect our daily life. Nationwide ban on disposable plastic cups in beverage shops According to the Ministry of Environment’s “Parties Subject to and Means for Single-use Takeaway Beverage Cups Restrictions” implemented on July 1, 2022, beverage shops are required to offer a NT$5 discount for customers who bring their own cups, and all local governments will be required to devise schedules to phase out single-use beverage cups. With the nationwide ban taking effect from this month, it is expected that the number of disposable plastic cups will be
Foxes are known for being cunning and resourceful, but a study suggests another surprising talent. Research from the Czech Republic indicates these creatures may use the Earth’s magnetic field when hunting. The study, led by Jaroslav ?erveny, tracked wild red foxes for over two years, recording nearly 600 hunting leaps by 84 foxes. Researchers found the animals predominantly jumped in a northeasterly direction, regardless of the time of day, season, or weather conditions. This preferred leaping direction resulted in a much higher kill rate, with foxes finding success on 73 percent of their northeasterly pounces on their prey. The results prompted
Earthquakes are among the most terrifying natural disasters, generating massive tremors and destructive forces as Earth’s crust shudders. These tremors not only lead to the collapse of buildings but can also trigger secondary disasters, such as tsunamis and fires. However, we can mitigate the impact on lives and property by mastering earthquake response techniques. The DCH three-step strategy, recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is crucial during an earthquake. “D” stands for “drop.” You should immediately drop to the ground, using your hands and knees to support yourself. This position prevents you from falling and